Common Branded Skipper
Hesperia comma (Linnaeus, 1758)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Hesperiinae
Identification: Wings relatively short with rounded forewing tips. A northern form (H. c. laurentina) is dark above and below. Band on hindwing underside usually lustrous, spots separate, basalmost spot often set inward as in H. juba and H. nevada.
Wing Span: 1 1/8- 1 1/4 inches (2.2 - 3.0 cm).
Life History: To await receptive females, males perch near the host plant or on tops of hills. Females scatter eggs on or near the host; caterpillars eat leaves and live in nests of tied leaves. In the arctic, chrysalids or older caterpillars hibernate; elsewhere eggs overwinter.
Flight: One flight from early June to mid-September, probably biennial and Arctic.
Caterpillar Hosts: Various grasses and sedges.
Adult Food: Nectar from many flowers including asters, goldenrods, and blazing star.
Habitat: Sunny open areas including forest openings and edges, meadows, fields, tundra, and the alpine.
Range: Holarctic. In North America from central Alaska east to Labrador; south to northern Rockies, Great Lakes states, and Maine.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Comments: NULL
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 49 - 72 of 136 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 17, 2003
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Kluge, Karen; Rosenmeier, Terry)
Region: Caledonia County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (VBS staff)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Aug 17, 2003
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Kluge, Karen; Rosenmeier, Terry)
Region: Caledonia County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Kluge, Karen)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Aug 08, 2003
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Pfeiffer, Bryan)
Region: Lamoille County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (VBS staff)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Aug 01, 1999
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Perkins, Owen A.)
Region: Iron County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Ranger Steve Mueller (Steven J. Mueller)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Aug 08, 2003
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Pfeiffer, Bryan)
Region: Lamoille County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (VBS staff)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Aug 28, 2003
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Pfeiffer, Bryan)
Region: Washington County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Pfeiffer, Bryan)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Aug 24, 2003
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Sawyer, Susan)
Region: Washington County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (VBS staff)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Aug 06, 2005
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Jonathan Sylvestre)
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: legacy.verifier (The Lepidopterists' Society Season Summary)
Verified date: Sep 13, 2010
Observation date: Aug 14, 2005
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Jonathan Sylvestre)
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: legacy.verifier (The Lepidopterists' Society Season Summary)
Verified date: Sep 13, 2010
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: BAMONA
Region:
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Sep 06, 2010
Observation date: Jul 25, 1997
Submitted by: Tom Middagh (Tom Middagh)
Region: Itasca County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh (Tom Middagh)
Verified date: Mar 11, 2008
Observation date: Jun 13, 1995
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (F/P)
Region: Southeast Fairbanks, Alaska, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Lepidopterists' Society Season Summary)
Verified date: Jan 23, 2008
Observation date: Jun 08, 2005
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (KWP)
Region: Nome, Alaska, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Lepidopterists' Society Season Summary)
Verified date: Jan 23, 2008
Observation date: May 26, 1999
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (JLH)
Region: Fairbanks North Star, Alaska, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Lepidopterists' Society Season Summary)
Verified date: Jan 23, 2008
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Crow Wing County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Kandiyohi County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Hancock County, Maine, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Ramsey County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Chippewa County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Winona County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Mackinac County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Iron County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Becker County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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